


fall into autumn with me

by INTPSlytherin_reylove97



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Devoted Reylo, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Humor, Kylo the Dog is Their Pride and Joy, Rey and Ben are Dorks, Romance, Teacher Ben Solo, The Great Debate Between Autumn and Fall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-09 05:00:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20847914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INTPSlytherin_reylove97/pseuds/INTPSlytherin_reylove97
Summary: “Benjamin Bail Organa Solo, you know for a fact I am right! It is in the dictionary!”Ben’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Doesn’t matter what the dictionary says—it matters what is in practice! No one uses the proper term, Rey!”She stepped up to him, toe to toe, not giving in a smidge to his side.“It is called Autumn!”“It is called Fall!”~Together less than a year and already living together, Rey and Ben are in utter domestic bliss.That is until a great debate is spurred--is the season after Summer called 'Autumn' or 'Fall'?Neither can seem to agree.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SolarQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolarQueen/gifts).

> I needed to break this up until the oneshot got too long, so multiple chapters.
> 
> Expect fluff, plenty of humor, and dash of angst (can't have reylo with out a little bit of angst, lol.)
> 
> Enjoy

* * *

“_I’m not budging until you agree_!” Ben bellowed, at his wits end.

From under the armchair, their puppy—Kylo—cowered, watching his mommy and daddy go at it again.

“I am right!” Rey hissed, standing firm across from him. Her brows furrowed, a sharp indention in her expression as she frowned at him. Complete and utter disappoint shrouded her face, while vengeance shined brilliantly in her hazel eyes.

There was a _fire_ in her.

Fierce, flashing, flickering. Unrelenting and stubborn.

And while Ben loved Rey’s said ‘fire’, he preferred it when it was _not_ directed at him.

“Benjamin Bail Organa Solo, you know for a fact I am right! It is in the fucking dictionary!”

Ben’s lips twisted in a sneer. “Doesn’t matter what the dictionary says—it matters what is in _practice_! No one uses the proper term, Rey!”

She stepped up to him, toe to toe, not giving in a smidge to his side.

“It is called _Autumn_!”

“It is called _Fall_!”

* * *

**Two Weeks Earlier**

“Ah, don’t you just love it?” Rey hummed, hugging on to Ben’s arm.

A pace ahead their dog, Kylo, sniffed every bush and shrub, meticulously deciding where to make his mark. His Sunday afternoon walks were his favorite, as well as the couples, the only time they could walk around the neighborhood together during the week.

“Kylo, stay near boy!” Ben called out, the leash running taut as the pup attempted to run further away. A stray leaf fell from about, the eight month old dog yapping at the dead foliage, as though it offended him greatly with its presence.

Rey’s fully, hearty chuckles caught Kylo’s attention. With devotion the dark haired furball came trotting back to their side, earning a love scratch behind the ear from his mommy.

“Aren’t you a silly one?” Rey cooed.

Kylo happily panted up at her. Ben scoffed at the display.

He swore the latest addition to their family had it out for him, far more enraptured by Rey than Ben, preening under the woman’s attention.

He told himself to not be jealous of a dog, but it truly was difficult to compete with a puppy.

Brisk air brushed though the street, rustling the fallen leaves. Swirls of red, brown, and dark orange danced around her and Ben’s feet, before continuing on its path further down the street.

The season was finally in full swing and Rey, needless to say, adored it. Last night had been the first rain fall of the season, she camping out in their bay window with her tea and her worn copy of _Emma_. No matter how much time has passed, Rey listened and watched the rain with childish wonder, as though the droplets held the truth of the entire galaxy.

As a child, bouncing from foster home to foster home, Rey never had a true home until she was off attending university in California. The only constant in her life had been the never ending rain in the UK, she taking advantage of the opportunity to truly enjoy the rain and the ambiance it created while the rest of her world dwelled in uncertainty.

Rainfall was almost a phenomenon to her, an eighth world wonder.

Ben, needless to say, adored being a witness to her joy.

“Ah, I believe Autumn might be my favorite season,” she murmured blissfully, chin ducking into his bicep as another sweep of wind plowed through.

A small breathy snort escaped Ben at her choice of word.

Peering up at him, Rey’s brows furrowed. Clearly she had no idea what she’d done. “What?”

“It’s just you used the word ‘Autumn’—no one calls it that. It’s _Fall_.”

Rey smirked through a frown. “No, you are wrong. The proper term is ‘Autumn,’ Ben. Plenty of people use the term ‘Autumn.’ Not ‘F_all_.’” She dropped the latter portion of the word, mimicking the typical American pronunciation.

He winced, shaking his head. “No, _you_ are wrong. Almost every single person I know uses the term ‘Fall.’” His mother, his father, uncle, best friend, former roommates, co-workers. All used the term ‘Fall’—it was slang that eventually became the norm terminology.

“Why?” she shot back, pulling away from him. “It’s wrong.”

“It’s right.”

“No, it isn’t. Autumn is the correct term.”

“No one like to say ‘Autumn.’ Too many syllables for the average human,” he quipped jokingly.

Rey raised an unamused eyebrow, not seeing the joke in the matter.

He hastily cleared his throat, hand twisting absentmindedly on the leash in his hand. “I mean, sure it sounds nice when _you_ say it, your accent enhancing the word.”

“_Enhancing_?”

“I mean—‘Autumn’ sounds nice in a British accent rather than an American one?” Ben tried, knowing he was digging himself into a hole.

“But it still shouldn’t be a reason for people to use the wrong term—for _you_ to use the wrong term.”

“But you see, I am right,” he reminded her once more.

Rey pursed her lips, taking the leash from him. Kylo trotted happily beside her, leaving Ben in the dust once more. “Well I think you are severely _wrong_.”

“Then let’s agree to disagree,” he suggested.

“I’d rather not,” she countered, walking ahead a couple of steps ahead. “I am going to prove to you I am indeed right and your language skills need some rectifying.”

Ben gapped at her, a chuckle of disbelief erupting from him. “ ‘Language skills need rectifying’? I’m an _Literature teacher_, Rey! I don’t think my skills need rectifying!”

“They do!” She rounded back to him, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. “And I pity your students. To know their teacher does not respect the proper term ‘Autumn’!”

“No one calls it ‘Autumn’!”

“You are sorely mistaken, but don’t worry you will soon learn I am right,” she assured him, giving Ben a gentle pat on his shoulder. “I am always right, dear.”

“Yes, on many things. But _not_ this.”

Rolling her eyes, Rey continued on ahead, Ben trailing behind her. Kylo yapped happily, unaware of the tension building and easing away between his mommy and daddy. Clearly he just wanted to get back home and take off the little booties on his feet, the dog chewing at them every so often.

The conversation was shelved for now, but little did Rey and Ben realize they were heading into the greatest debate of their lives.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

By the end of their walk around the neighborhood, the two had forgotten their little debacle, more consumed with prepping for the week and cleaning up around the apartment.

While they had moved in together less than a month ago (a fact both their friends and family loved to remind them of _constantly_), the two were still adjusting to living with each other and their puppy, all while finally settling into their own routines.

Which involved Ben grading on Sunday nights, procrastination thriving well within him. Rey on the other hand attempted to bring minimal work home with her on the weekends, finishing her paperwork regarding her ABA therapy kids before the weekend set sail.

There were still a few boxes lingering around the living room, study, and kitchen, only perused when something specific was needed. Neither Rey or Ben were the best cooks around, trying to learn together so take-out and cereal wouldn’t become the norm.

However they were failing spectacularly, only a few of their pots and pans removed from the boxes. Except for the tea kettle. That was the _first_ item unpacked in the entire apartment.

Rey’s made it a personal mission to have every single box if it were the last thing she did.

Setting her water to boil, Rey went about unpacking _another_ box of books, Ben the most excessive bibliophile she had ever met.

She’d been deep into organizing their shelves when Rey heard the sharp whistle of the kettle.

“I got it!” Ben shouted from the living room.

“You can just shut it off!”

“No, I’ll make you a cup!”

Rey rolled her eyes good-naturedly at his over attentiveness, but let him make her a cup of tea. Glancing at Kylo she smiled. “Your daddy is too good to me.”

He cocked his head to the side, not necessarily agreeing, but letting her have this one.

A few minutes later Ben came into the study, the mug practically nonexistent in his massive hands. She grinned at the sight of his reading glasses, the thin wire frames sitting precariously on the bridge of his nose. In her honest to god opinion, Rey fond him to be absolutely adorable when he wore his glasses despite how much he loathed them.

“Here you go _my love_,” he dramatically declared, grinning like a fool.

Rey raised an eyebrow, but took the mug nonetheless. “Okay, weirdo.” Cautiously, she sniffed the tea. “You didn’t poison it did you?”

Ben slumped at her words, exasperated in an instant. “Yes, Rey. I want to _poison_ you. A woman I love and had to beg to date me—”

“You didn’t beg.”

“—I _begged_,” he reiterated without batting an eye. “And you think I would poison you?”

“I get it, Drama Queen,” she chuckled. “You’d never do such a thing.”

She lifted the mug taking a sip, still confused why Ben was just standing there watching with a shit-eating grin.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, nothing.”

“Stop it! What—” she glanced down at her mug, her mirthful expression falling at an instant.

The mug—one she had never seen before in her life—was decorated in orange calligraphy, painted leaves scattered around it.

The phrase ‘_It’s Fall Y’all’_ glared back at her.

She looked back up at him unimpressed. “You’re an idiot.”

“It’s ‘fall’ not ‘autumn’,” he said, ignoring the jab. “Even says so on the mug.”

“Take this blasphemous mug away from me.”

Said mug was thrusted out to him, waiting.

“No.” Ben crossed his arms over his chest, taking a couple of steps back. “The Rey I know would never let tea go to waste—mug blasphemous or not.”

“_Ben_!”

He shook his head, already out the door. “Enjoy your tea, Rey!”

“Damn it!”

In spite, she took a sip of her tea. “Ugh, he made a good cuppa,” she grumbled. Peeking over to Kylo, she shared a pitiful whimper. “Why did I have to choose such a good one?”

Her pup barely spared her glance, standing up and trotting out of the room.

“_Hey, buddy_!” was heard in the living room. “_You agree with daddy don’t you_?”

Rey gapped. That little traitor dog.

* * *

The mug only added fuel the burning debate.

A debated both believed they’d win if they played their cards right.

Logically, Rey decided to keep her points and winning hand close to her chest. Afterall, she was positive she was _right_. One did not spend their days teaching children how to speak and proper use words to express themselves, and _not_ understand how the English Language worked.

Ben, on the other hand, was going for a much more causal approach. A surprising turn of events considering she expected him to lay down a fifty page essay of how wrong she was

“See,” he pointed to a shop window when they reach a stop light.

They’d been on their way to his parents for Wednesday night dinner, a custom Ben never once participated until he started seeing Rey. Apparently having a girlfriend who adored his parents just as much as they adored her caused the years of phone tag to end between the Organa-Solos.

Following his line of sight, Rey glanced out the window, spotting the familiar shop.

A large hanging sign in front of the local general store was out on display.

_END OF SUMMER INTO FALL BLOWOUT SALE_

Rey rolled her eyes.

“Everyone uses the term ‘Fall’—even stores. Plus, ‘End of Summer Into _Autumn_ Blowout Sale’ does not have the same ring to it.”

“It sounds perfectly fine to my ears.”

Ben gripped the steering wheel tighter, driving forward once the light turned green.

As they continued down the road, Ben gestured to another shop sign.

_NEW FALL ITEMS IN STOCK_

“See—‘_Fall’_.”

“You and the rest of this town, are _wrong_.”

“Evidence is proving otherwise.”

As though to further amp his ego, they passed a _Starbucks_.

_CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF FALL_

A poster of specialty drinks was under the tagline, blaring out to the street front to the cars driving through.

“Even the biggest coffee chain in the world says it is ‘Fall.’”

“Well, you and this town and _the rest of the world_ are wrong!” Rey huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “As a form of protest, I refuse we get our coffee from _Starbucks_. Because they are wrong, absolutely wrong because it is _AUTUMN_.”

Ben smirked at her, turning on his blinker to turn into his parent’s neighborhood. “Jokes on you, I don’t even _like_ Starbucks,” he spat back.

“Yes you do,” Rey shot back, “where the hell do you think I got those pumpkin spice lattes from for you last year? Made them _myself_?”

“You bought them?” Ben cried out. “But you put it in a mug and everything—”

“Because you are a coffee snob and no one makes pumpkin spice lattes around here except _Starbucks_.”

While they’d been officially together for a rather short amount of time in the eyes of many, the _wooing_ took some time.

More like two years.

Both had been ‘student teachers’ roughly around the same time at the same middle school—Ben completing his few hours remaining before getting his credential and Rey completing hours for her ABA therapy certification. The two stuck together, both not technically staff and a bit of outsiders considering their circumstances. Ben switched career paths in his early thirties and went back to school to become a teacher, while Rey had been working her way through her last remaining required hours for what seemed to be forever.

They became fast friends who harbored ridiculous crushes on each other, sweet gestures abound.

Such as making supposedly homemade lattes for each other.

“I feel like…this has all been a lie,” he deadpanned, sounding far too serious.

“Calm down—”

“—this entire relationship, built on Pumpkin Spice _lies_. I’ll have you know, those are the worst kind of lies,” he continued to mutter, shaking his head.

“You are…_absurd_.” Rey blinked furiously at him, knowing he was joking by the twitch of his lips. “I wanted to impress you, god damnit. Can’t kill a girl for trying.”

* * *

The argument had been shelved once more, neither speaking on the topic of ‘Autumn’ or ‘Fall’ when they stepped out of the car.

However that changed when Leia seemingly brought up the topic over dessert.

“I love this time of year, always have. Did you know your grandparents would take me blackberry picking in the beginning of autumn every year? I loved it _so_ much.”

Rey fork clattered on her plate, barely registering what Leia was discussing because the woman said the coveted word—

Leia said ‘_Autumn_’.

She said ‘Autumn’ even though Ben claimed oh so stubbornly everyone in his family used the term ‘Fall.’

Beside her Ben stilled, eyes wide and piece of pie long forgotten.

Opposite them, Han raised an eyebrow. “What the hell is wrong with you two?”

Rey’s head whipped to Ben, eyes alight with vindication. “I was _right_! You were wrong—”

“Just because she said ‘Autumn’ this one instance—”

“She said it! I heard it—” she waved frantically at Han and Luke, “—we have witnesses!”

“It doesn’t count!”

“How the hell does it not?”

“Because—because I have never heard her use that term until this day!”

“Stop being a _sore loser_!”

“Stop being _pretentious_!” Ben huffed, glaring at her. “_No one_ uses the term ‘Autumn’!”

A throat cleared from the head of the table.

Realizing they had an audience, a sharp flush consumed both, Rey wincing sheepishly.

“Care to explain what is going on?” Leia asked, eyes darting between her son and his girlfriend.

Neither seemed keen on the idea, a series of undiscernible stutters coming from the couple.

Unsatisfied with the lack of answer, she turned her sharp piercing gaze to her son, knowing he’d crack under the pressure.

And it worked swimmingly.

“Rey and I can’t seem to agree if this season we are currently in is called ‘Fall’ or ‘Autumn’.”

Silence fell over the table, each member of the family carefully considering his words.

“We’ll it’s ‘Fall,’” Han declared with a snort. “Who the fuck calls it ‘_Autumn_?’”

“Thank you!” Ben leaned back in seat smugly, ignoring Rey’s less than pleased expression.

“Well…the proper term is ‘Autumn,’” Luke interjected, obviously finding the entire argument to be a bit juvenile if his exhausted expression were anything to go by. “But I can see how more people use ‘Fall’ due to less syllables and the media’s use of the term more than ‘Autumn.’”

At the head of the table, Leia hummed, hands steppled under her chin. Lips pursed, she nodded once, coming to her decision. “It’s ‘Autumn.’ I use them interchangeably, but truly it is ‘Autumn.’ It’d be ridiculous to argue otherwise.”

Han gapped at her for an brief instant before his lips twisted into a smirk. “Princess, it’s ‘Fall’—I have never heard you call it ‘Autumn’ until today.”

“It’s ‘Autumn,’ Han,” Leia said simply, though anyone could subtly see her hackles rise. “It is the proper term. It is no doubt in the dictionary, so let’s leave it be.”

“But no one uses the term—”

“But it’s the right one and it should be used more often.”

“You are wrong about that. Not even poems and books use the word ‘Autumn.’ It’s a dead language.”

“That you are wrong, I just heard Amilyn use the word today!”

“Oh that’s a load of bullshit.”

“_It’s true_!”

“Only your friends would use ‘Autumn’ instead of ‘Fall.’ Especially Amilyn—she’s wrong and you’re wrong!”

“Han, for the love of god, I am _right_!”

The couple continued to squabble, their arguments roundabout-ing at least twice within a few minutes.

Rolling his eyes, Luke tucked back into his piece of apple pie, giving the younger couple at the table a grievous stare. “Look at what you two did. They’ll _never_ shut up now. We’ll be hearing this argument until Christmas.”

Rey chewed on the inside of her cheek, Han and Leia’s argument getting louder by the minute. “Um…I didn’t think they’d…_really_ go at it.”

“Don’t underestimate Han and Leia,” Luke muttered.

“Well, it is a futile argument,” Ben said with a shrug. “Since it is ‘_Fall’_.”

Rey whirled on him, all thoughts of possibly ending their little feud flying out the window. “I cannot believe you right now! Do you _not_ hear them—”

Ben shrugged, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. “I hear them, but they will both come to an agreement with my mother which is the _wrong_ answer, so I is my job to make this right—”

“You are ridiculous, Ben!”

“_I’m_ ridiculous? How about—”

Luke groaned, picking up his plate of pie and left for the living room.

He was too old for this shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ABA Therapy is Applied Behavioral Therapy Analysis Therapist, and they usually work with children on the autism spectrum and many work in schools. I just chose that for Rey's job because....well because I didn't want to make her a teacher-teacher XD and my mind couldn't come up with anything else. But basically she works with little kids on the spectrum and I always felt Rey would want to work with kids.


End file.
